Cercocarpus ledifolius var. ledifolius
Curl leaf mountain mahogany
(c) Rick Mandel, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Rick Mandel · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Cercocarpus ledifolius var. ledifolius (Curl leaf mountain mahogany) is a native California shrub / tree in the Rosaceae family, recognized by densely white-woolly leaf undersides with obscured veins.
Curl leaf mountain mahogany is a California native shrub found in southern Sierra Nevada Mountains on steep slopes and in open pine forests at elevations of 1,200 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces small, inconspicuous flowers with white-woolly characteristics. Growing as a compact shrub or small tree 1 to 3 meters tall, it develops a dense, multi-stemmed form with rigid branches. Its leaves are narrow and leathery, measuring 1 to 3 centimeters long, with a distinctive white-woolly underside that creates a soft, silvery appearance. The fruit develops into a feathery, elongated structure with a style measuring 4 to 6 centimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; distinguished by densely white-woolly leaf undersides with obscured veins
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Steep slopes, open pine forest
Elevation: 1200-3000 m
Outside California: to eastern Oregon, southwestern Montana, northern Wyoming, northern Utah
Bloom period
Cercocarpus ledifolius var. ledifolius blooms Apr-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Ceanothus: Cercocarpus has no petals and feathery-tailed fruits; Ceanothus has tiny cupped petals and berry-like capsules.; vs Holodiscus: Cercocarpus flowers lack petals entirely; Holodiscus has tiny white petals in showy foam-like panicles.; vs Quercus: Cercocarpus has feathery-tailed fruits; oaks have acorns in cups.; vs Rhamnus: Cercocarpus has feathery-tailed dry fruits; Rhamnus has smooth berry-like drupes.; vs Alnus: Cercocarpus has feathery-tailed single fruits; Alnus has woody cone-like catkins.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cercocarpus ledifolius var. ledifolius native to California?
Yes. Cercocarpus ledifolius var. ledifolius is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cercocarpus ledifolius var. ledifolius bloom?
Cercocarpus ledifolius var. ledifolius blooms Apr-May.
What plant family does Cercocarpus ledifolius var. ledifolius belong to?
Cercocarpus ledifolius var. ledifolius is in the Rosaceae family, genus Cercocarpus.
What habitat does Cercocarpus ledifolius var. ledifolius grow in?
Cercocarpus ledifolius var. ledifolius grows in Uncommon. Steep slopes, open pine forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Cercocarpus minutiflorus — Smooth mountain mahogany
- Cercocarpus sp. — Mountain-mahogany
- Cercocarpus traskiae — Catalina island mountain-mahogany
- Cercocarpus betuloides — Birch leaf mountain mahogany
- Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides — Birch-leaf mountain-mahogany
- Cercocarpus betuloides var. blancheae — Island mountain-mahogany
- Chamaebatia australis — Southern mountain misery
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.